30's built pub in Long Drive, South Ruislip. Actually if asked
most locals might say that this pub is in Station Approach. Confusingly the name
of the road changes from this to Long Drive at the railway bridge close to the
pub and not at the traffic lights a few yards the other way.

Formerly the Deane Arms this pub was an establishment
frequented by Ruislip's less desirables. In order to force them to drink
somewhere else some bright spark decided that if the name of the pub were to
change then they would move on to pastures new.

OK, so not only was the name changed but
the image of the pub also, from a "local boozer" to what it is now, a large well
run pub. At the back there is a large room that can be hired for parties.

However, only as recently as August 2002 a local
"bent" policeman was set up in this pub to supply undercover police
with a cocaine in the car park opposite, so whilst the change of image may have
helped its success was less than 100%! Maybe it should be the Middlesex (long)
arms.

Where it is, by road

The nearest landmarks are Sainsburys in South Ruislip or South Ruislip
Tube station. If you can find the tube station this pub is just the other side
of the (low) railway bridge. Actually in Long Drive (see above) it will be
considered by many to be in Station Approach. "Station Approach" runs
between West End Road and, more or less, the traffic lights at Victoria Road,
South Ruislip (by Sainsburys), where this pub is at the Victoria Road end. There
is a small car park to the rear, pay and display opposite and some street
parking outside the shops.

Info

Telephone Number - 020 8845 0667

Web links that may interest you

None

Real ale

Just might have Tetleys and London Pride, but don't bank on it.

Access via public transport

Good. South Ruislip tube
is 100 yards away and the
114
bus runs from Victoria Road which may be found by turning left out of the
pub, and running left to right at the traffic lights. Mind out for the pigeon
poo under the bridge on your way to the station..

Pub Crawl Potential

Not good. You could get the tube one stop to Ruislip Gardens and
go to The Bell or walk to Victoria Road (see above), turn
left and walk for 20 or so minutes to the Black Bull.

I popped in for an hour ahead of a trip up to London on the
(very nearby) tube. The pint of Fullers London Pride I had was very acceptable
and the filling meal was also good value, pub-grub is the fare, and it is fair
to be sure! The large children's ball pond type area in the back has now gone.
The pub tends to attract an honest set, they were certainly honest enough in
voicing their opinions at the large screens showing the football!

I have also popped in to answer the call of nature (only) a
couple of times (following long train trips out of London - why don't stations
have loos any more??) and they did not seem to mind as long as you ask - hence why I went back and
spent more than a penny.....

I fondly remember the Deane Arms as it was back in the
mid 60s. I was about 13 or 14 at the time, A family by the name of Matthews
used to run the pub, I used to hang around with the son Raymond and visited
the pub most days with Ray after school. We used to get up to
all sorts of things in the back shed we also used to watch TV a few nights a
week. I used to work there after school every afternoon stacking the shelves
with beer.

The Pub was a rough place but that didn't bother us as we were too young to go
into the bar when the Pub was open anyway. We just used to look at
the Motor bikes lined up in the car park and dreamed that one day we would
have one.

I used to play guitar and when I was about 17, the band I used to play with
used to play at weddings in the back function room. We had some good
times back then and I've always wondered what happened to Ray and his
family.

Roger.

I am pleased to say that I was one of the teenagers who
drank in the Deane Arms in the days your article describes the customers as
‘less desirables’ (1970s)!

‘The Deane’ as it was fondly known (must be said in a Sarf Ryslip accent!!!)
was a haven for under aged punters, many of whom attended the local
comprehensive, Queensmead. It was here that the pupils and the teachers all
drank and made a lot of noise together. Contrary to popular belief though,
while there were literally hundreds of us crammed in there from Friday to
Sunday having fun, there were only a handful of youths that caused a
nuisance. Yes, there were drug pushers, but then the same pushers went to
every other bar in Ruislip; they left the rest of us alone to drink and have
fun!

The Deane provided a much needed meeting point in the local heavily
populated community; there was no youth club (except the Boys Brigade club
once a week, and you had to go to church to attend that!), so The Deane kept
us all off the street. Most local teenagers were going in the back door in
the 70s regularly from the age of 13 or 14.

But do you know what? Many hundreds of us turned out ok in the end… amongst
my friends from the good old days many of us can read and write, and some of
us even own our own homes. One or two of us might even be worth a bob or
two, so it wasn’t all bad, was it?!

Your article said that it isn’t a good pub for a pub crawl – we always
managed it!

Jan

Anything special?

Changed its name and there is a hotel right
next door. Did have a bad reputation, it is MUCH better than it was, indeed it
hardly gets a mention these days in the local papers.....

One of the finest singers England ever had, who tragically died
at aged 31 after a fall, had a residency there. This singer, who sang on Led
Zepplin IV with Robert Plant, found fame in many types of music, but mainly
folk, she WAS "The Voice of an Angel"
Miss Sandy Denny

(From a site visitor) In the 1960's the pub was
visited one evening by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton who were in the
area for Richard's niece's wedding. Much to the surprise of all the locals.
(And it is possible that on the same evening they also visited The
Black Bull ROL)

I tended bar at this pub back in 1990. I was just a young
girl of 18/19 when I was there. All the locals and staff were so very nice
to me, even though I had no idea what the hell a lime shandy was when I
started. I have fond memories of Carol, Norman, Ol' harry, Karen, & Andrew.
Thanks to everyone for takin' in that little girl from Texas & teaching her
how to pull a proper "English" pint. I still hold all those memories in high
regards. Mucho Besos my British brothers & sisters! Rebecca